1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a system for the alternative charging of at least one sack filling machine and/or of at least one truck with pourable material.
2. Description of the Related Art
Such systems already exist in the prior art. The construction of a prior art system is described with reference to FIG. 3 and FIG. 4. FIG. 3 is a top view and FIG. 4 is a sectional side view of a corresponding system.
The system 10 exhibits a plurality of silos 14, which are firmly braced by columns 12, in order to receive pourable material. Below the silos 14 there are traversible sack filling machines 16, which can be moved under the outlets of specified silos, in order to receive the bulk material and then to fill sacks by the conventional method. The sacks 18, filled by the sack filling machines, are carried away by means of conveyor belts. To this end, there are two conveyor belts 20, 22, which run parallel over the entire length of the silos, which are arranged side by side.
Said belts run perpendicularly toward the conveyor belts 24, receiving the sacks 20. The conveyor belts 20 and 22 receive the sacks, filled by the sack filling machines, by means of intermediate conveyors 26, 28, which are arranged perpendicularly to the conveyor belts 20 and 22 and can be moved over the length of the conveyor belts 20 and 22, and conveyed to the conveyor belts 20 and 22. As can be inferred from FIG. 4, the conveyor belts 20, 22, 24, 26 and 28 are arranged on a level with the discharge station of the sack filling machine. Optionally trucks may also be filled by means of the silos. To this end, the trucks 32 have their own drive-through level 30, which is especially designed for trucks, below the level, at which the sack filling machines can be moved. The trucks 32 are filled by means of appropriate pipelines 34, which may or may not be secured by means of moveable frames 36, as illustrated in FIG. 4.
The prior art system has the drawback that it is three stories high and is, therefore, very large. The top floor level exhibits the fixed silos; on the center floor level the sack filling machines can be moved; and on the bottom floor level the trucks can drive in. Moreover, the sack filling machines on the center level cannot always be moved the shortest distance to the desired silo outlet, since the corresponding conveyor belts are in the way here.